Phoenix is known as the Valley of The Sun, and it’s no secret that the city is in the middle of the desert.
Of course, because it is in the middle of the desert, it is expected to be hot. And yes, the dry heat here in Phoenix is something to get used to. While many of us have grown to love the heat and have even found ways to work around it, there are times when it becomes too much to handle. A couple of Summers ago, we experienced one of the hottest months on record since 1896. Typically, July is the hottest month of the year where the temperature averages around 96 degrees. However, 2 years ago, during the month of August, the temperature hit triple digits for over 50 days. It would be an understatement to call those temperatures brutal, no words can begin to describe how miserable it was outside. So, of course. I spent most of that month indoors in the air conditioning and unfortunately, my utility bill reflected the increased usage. In fact, during that Summer, my energy bill went up by almost $30 per month because I was running my air conditioner so much. During Summer when the temperatures average around 96 degrees, I keep my thermostat set at 76 degrees. So, if the temperature outside increases to 110 degrees and I try to run my air conditioner at 76 degrees, then I will be consuming a lot more energy to try to keep my home comfortable. So, although I paid a lot more because I consumed more energy that Summer, I am glad that I have air conditioning because if I didn’t, I don’t know how I could’ve survived the Summer in Phoenix.